Access to fresh water was a constant challenge for pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy in the 17th and 18th centuries. Unlike merchant and naval vessels, pirate ships did not have large stores of drinking water and obtaining new supplies was difficult while at sea. Pirates relied on a variety of methods to get the fresh water they needed for survival.
Collecting Rainwater
One of the most common methods pirates used to get fresh water was to collect rainwater. All ships would have some way to collect rain running off the sails and decks into barrels or casks below deck. Pirates tended to devote more space to rainwater storage than other ships, as they could not rely on carrying large stores of drinking water.
Pirate vessels had gutters and pipes installed to direct rainwater into the storage barrels. They might also spread out spare sails or canvas when it rained to collect more fresh water. The amount of rainwater they could collect depended on the weather. In tropical regions like the Caribbean there was heavy seasonal rainfall, while in other areas long periods without rain were common.
Rainwater provided a free and renewable source of drinking water, though it was vulnerable to droughts. The longer a pirate ship went without rain, the more stressed their fresh water supplies would become. Rainwater also tended to gather contaminants from the sails and rigging as it ran off into the barrels. Pirates might add wine or beer to rainwater to disguise the taste.
Finding Natural Springs
When pirates made landfall to restock supplies, one priority was locating fresh water sources. Pirates would look for natural springs or freshwater streams on remote islands and coastlines. They might venture some distance inland to find ponds, lakes, or other sources of fresh water that could be collected.
Natural springs provided a clean source of fresh water. However it was not always easy for pirates to locate springs along the coasts where they tended to operate. Fresh water sources on remote uninhabited islands might be hard to find or limited in quantity. Pirates could face competition from other ships or groups over access to fresh water.
Locating fresh water often involved exploring and mapping little known islands and coasts. Pirates would share information about where to find water sources for future voyages. Places known to have abundant fresh water became frequent pirate stopping points.
Raiding Settlements for Water
Though generally feared by colonial authorities, pirate ships also relied heavily on raiding towns and settlements for fresh water and other supplies. After spotting an island or coastal village, pirates might simply land a heavily armed party ashore to seize whatever provisions they needed.
In larger towns or cities, pirates had to proceed more cautiously or risk being captured themselves. They would send a few men surreptitiously into port to locate sources of fresh water and make arrangements to transport it to their ship. Buying or bartering for fresh water was common, though pirates might still resort to force or threats if needed.
The threat of pirate raids encouraged many colonies and harbor towns to improve their defenses over time. Merchants and navy ships might also refuse to trade supplies if they suspected the buyers were pirates. But many remote settlements remained vulnerable throughout the Golden Age of Piracy.
Digging Wells
When natural sources of fresh water couldn’t be located, pirates might dig makeshift wells to access groundwater supplies. Though arduous, digging wells near coastlines could provide a reliable source of drinking water for pirate crews grounded in remote anchorages or island hideouts.
Shore parties would dig wells a few feet inland from the high tide line, often in beach sand or areas with loose soil. The well digging would continue until fresh groundwater started seeping into the hole. Buckets and ropes were used to haul up the water.
Well digging required considerable time and labor, limiting how often pirates could resort to this method. The wells themselves were extremely primitive by modern standards. Groundwater this close to the ocean was often brackish or contaminated. But for pirates stranded without other options, even brackish well water could be better than nothing.
Capturing Ships Carrying Water
Pirates actively targeted merchant ships known to be carrying large stores of fresh water. While all merchantmen carried some drinking water, certain trading routes required ships to bring additional water supplies. These ships were highly attractive pirate targets when water was low.
Merchant ships sailing from Europe to the Far East around Africa often stopped in India or modern day Indonesia to take on fresh water for the long voyage ahead. Pirates would try to intercept these ships before they left port or lie in wait along their route. Even warships escorting the merchant convoys might fall prey to pirate ambush.
A single large East Indiaman captured while fully provisioned with food and water could keep a pirate crew supplied for months. As well as seizing the cargo, pirates would transfer the ship’s fresh water barrels onto their own vessel before sinking the captured ship.
Getting Water from Captured Crews
After taking a merchant ship, pirates typically transferred the crew onto their own vessel while they looted the cargo. Though primarily interested in valuables like gold and firearms, pirate crews also interrogated captured sailors about the location and quantities of fresh water aboard.
Pirates deprived captive crews of water and provisions to force them to reveal hidden stores. If they resisted, threats of torture or death could be employed, though excessive cruelty risked provoking retribution later on. Pirates had to balance their need for provisions with the benefits of maintaining a ruthless reputation.
In situations of extreme need, pirates might resort to more drastic methods such as torture or executing prisoners to conserve water supplies. Though distasteful, the survival needs of the pirate crew came first. However prudent use of captive crew water usually avoided such dire measures.
Trading for Water
Though famous for raiding, piracy also involved trading and negotiation. Pirate crews regularly traded with colonial merchants and farmers for provisions including fresh water. Outlying settlements were usually eager to trade with pirates to avoid attack.
Pirates tended to prey on major trade routes so their vessels filled quickly with plundered goods. They commonly exchanged silk, spices, rum, and other valuables plucked from captured ships for basic supplies. This enabled isolated colonies struggling to build up local agriculture and industry to obtain desired goods.
Traders dealing with pirates often charged inflated prices for provisions reflecting the risks involved. But for pirates facing dire shortages, paying over the odds to keep their crews alive and healthy was worthwhile. Local authorities might also quietly welcome pirates’ business.
Desalination of Seawater
While limited methods of desalinating seawater existed in the 17th-18th centuries, they were poorly understood and rarely employed in that era. Some accounts indicate pirate crews experimented with basic forms of seawater distillation or desalination to obtain drinking water, but only in exceptional circumstances.
Heating and condensing seawater using simple stills was the only feasible method pirates could have employed. Though this can produce freshwater, the small inefficient stills then available produced tiny amounts compared to the needs of the full crew. Desalination was mainly a last resort for pirates stranded at sea without other options.
There are occasional accounts of pirates managing to survive at sea for short periods by distilling seawater into drinking water. But this likely provided only enough water to barely keep sailors alive until they could reach land, not meet the needs of an active pirate crew.
Drinking Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol consumption was very high on pirate ships. Pirates had easy access to alcohol from plundered ships and port traders. Alcohol provided a diversion from hardships at sea and Hindered spread of disease from contaminated water.
Rum and beer were common pirate beverages. The alcohol content killed harmful organisms, making alcoholic drinks safer than untreated water. Fermented beverages also stored well in wooden casks.
While useful for short periods, alcoholic drinks could not fully replace fresh water. Dehydration from the diuretic effects of alcohol, combined with intoxication, would have left pirate crews weakly and incapacitated if grog was their only hydration. But in moderation, it reduced risks from contaminated water.
Conclusion
Obtaining enough fresh water was a constant logistical struggle for pirates at sea. They employed a wide variety of strategies to collect, steal, barter for, and preserve drinking water supplies. The ability to find fresh water could determine if a pirate voyage succeeded or foundered.
Pirate methods of getting water also drove wider social and economic interactions with coastal communities. The threat of pirate raids encouraged towns to better defend or camouflage their fresh water sources. Yet many isolated settlements grew dependent on trade with pirates for valued goods, provisions, and income.
The fundamental human need for water forced pirates to become skilled at locating fresh water sources on long voyages far from port. These survival strategies allowed piracy to thrive for decades during the Golden Age.